Two hand-cut and polished slabs of Bianco Romano granite were used to form a 23-foot-long island countertop in the kitchen of a Baltimore, MD, residence
With the experience gained from working for a solid surface business,
the owner of Apex Surfaces in Harmony, PA, decided to branch out on his own and start a stone fabricating operation
In updating the design of the John M. Olin Library on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis, MO, the design team reworked the existing Missouri Red granite facade to allow more light into the building.
When expanding into stone fabrication, the owner of Down East Fabrication in Mechanicsburg, PA, invested in high-quality equipment and has taken measures to improve upon production efficiency.
With approximately 500 employees globally and 25 quarries, Polycor Inc. has established a solid name for itself in the stone industry. Headquartered in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, the company - a large quarrier and fabricator of natural stone - has progressed steadily since it was started in 1987. And with 19 quarries that are currently in operation, there are several that have gained a level of renown.
Since its early days, stone architecture has always been held in high regard on the campus of Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. The institution, which was founded in 1848, was initially located in Clarksville, TN, but moved to Memphis in 1925. At this time, it was under the direction of President Charles Diehl, who as a graduate of Princeton University understood the relationship of architecture to academic reputation.
Majestic Marble and Glass of Raleigh, NC, is an example of a company that has capitalized on its growing market. Created in November of 1990, the company specialized in the installation of cultured marble products, shower enclosures and mirrors. In 1992, the business grew into fabrication, manufacturing its own cultured marble products.
Like many businesses pursuing the proverbial American Dream, Top Master, Inc. began in the small garage of its founder and president Tim Hovey. That was in Kansas City, KS, back in 1984, where the company first fabricated DuPont Corian® countertops that it installed in the Kansas City area. Within a year, Top Master had outgrown the garage and moved to a larger facility in Lenexa, KS, and the company has continued to expand over the years - in terms of volume as well as material choices.
A daily four-hour commute along the jammed freeways of Southern California eventually grew tiresome for Doug Lainson, who is now President and Chief Executive Officer of Kitchens & Stone Design Center in Upland, CA. Ultimately, it drove the former high-powered business professional to not only leave his job, but to switch careers altogether. After some careful research, Lainson decided to launch a fabrication facility and showroom with partner Kenny Seamen in late 2003. And in only two years, the business has shown significant growth, and plans for expansion are currently underway.
Business is good for Kevin Tate of Professional Marble & Tile. The fabricator, who opened his shop in Vail, CO, six years ago, recently started another operation in Carson City, NV.
